Actresses Who Swapped Fame for Normal Jobs

Some performers step away from sets and red carpets to build lives that look a lot more like everyone else’s. The reasons vary—family, new passions, steadier hours—but the common thread is a pivot from the spotlight to regular careers with bosses, customers, and calendars that aren’t built around premieres.

Below are actresses who deliberately traded acting heat for everyday work—teaching, law, retail, writing, healthcare, and more. You’ll see what they became known for on screen and what they do now, plus concrete context about each career switch.

Phoebe Cates

Best known for ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ and ‘Gremlins’, Phoebe Cates reduced her acting workload in the 1990s and shifted to retail. In 2005 she opened Blue Tree, a boutique on New York City’s Upper East Side that sells gifts, art, books, and clothing, and she oversees buying and merchandising.

Her responsibilities include sourcing inventory, coordinating with independent makers, and managing store operations such as product curation and seasonal rotations. The business has operated continuously since its opening, with Cates engaged in day-to-day decisions rather than pursuing regular screen roles.

Nikki Blonsky

After breaking out in ‘Hairspray’, Nikki Blonsky trained in cosmetology and obtained a professional license. She has worked in salons and taken hair and makeup assignments for clients and events, expanding her skills beyond on-camera work.

Her cosmetology path includes client consultations, cutting, coloring, and styling services, alongside occasional entertainment-related appearances that fit around salon schedules. The shift placed her in a customer-service career with predictable hours and repeat clientele.

Lisa Jakub

Lisa Jakub, who appeared in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘Independence Day’, left acting in her early twenties. She retrained as a writer and later as a certified yoga teacher, combining authorship with wellness instruction.

Jakub has led classes and talks focused on anxiety and creativity, and she organizes workshops and community programs. Her work is built around writing deadlines and teaching calendars rather than audition cycles.

Ariana Richards

Ariana Richards, remembered as Lex in ‘Jurassic Park’, pivoted from acting to fine art. She studied painting and established a professional studio practice producing landscapes and portraits for galleries and private commissions.

Her work involves developing themed series, exhibiting, and handling client commissions, including consultations and delivery timelines. Studio management—show schedules, contracts, and logistics—replaced casting calls and production days.

Carrie Henn

Carrie Henn, who played Newt in ‘Aliens’, chose not to pursue a continued acting career after her childhood role. She entered education, becoming a teacher and working in elementary classrooms.

Her responsibilities have included lesson planning, grading, coordinating with parents, and participating in school initiatives. The change placed her squarely in public-service work with a standard academic calendar.

Rei Hance (formerly Heather Donahue)

Rei Hance, known at the time as Heather Donahue for ‘The Blair Witch Project’, stepped away from acting and moved into writing and the legal medical-cannabis sector. She documented the career transition and cultivation work in nonfiction.

Her post-acting roles have included hands-on cultivation tasks, compliance with state regulations, and small-business operations. The shift replaced set schedules with agricultural planning, licensing requirements, and routine business management.

Mara Wilson

Mara Wilson, known for ‘Matilda’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, left on-camera acting as a young adult to focus on writing. She built a career as an author and playwright, with additional work in storytelling and select voice roles scheduled around writing projects.

Her day-to-day centers on drafting, revising, and participating in readings and workshops. Publishing timelines and event appearances define her calendar more than studio production windows.

Jennifer Stone

Jennifer Stone, recognized for ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’, pursued nursing after scaling back her acting. She completed nursing education, earned an RN license, and has worked in emergency departments providing front-line patient care.

Her clinical duties include triage, monitoring, medication administration, and coordination with physicians and hospital teams. The role places her in shift-based healthcare work with protocols, charting, and continuing-education requirements rather than entertainment production schedules.

Crystal McKellar

Crystal McKellar, also from ‘The Wonder Years’, left acting to become an attorney. After earning her law degree, she entered legal practice with work spanning commercial matters and roles connected to venture and business.

Her legal responsibilities have included research, drafting, discovery, hearings, and client advisement. The transition replaced casting with case management, filings, and deadlines common to the profession.

Lucy Deakins

Lucy Deakins, who starred in ‘The Boy Who Could Fly’ and appeared in ‘Law & Order’, stepped away from acting to pursue higher education and law. She became a practicing attorney, including work in areas such as energy and family law.

Deakins’ daily work involves client meetings, legal research, drafting motions and agreements, and courtroom appearances. Her schedule follows court calendars and firm obligations rather than film production timetables.

Share your picks in the comments: who else do you think truly traded the spotlight for a regular day job?